The Culinary Chronicles: Venba Reveals the Secrets Behind Cooking Games, Food's Profound Impact on Family, and Beyond!

Venba, a captivating cooking game, is set to release on July 31 for PC, PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox. It offers a unique twist by delving into profound themes such as culture, family, love, and loss. Unlike traditional cooking games, Venba, developed by Visai Studios, immerses players in a narrative-driven experience that explores the profound connection between food, culture, and an immigrant family. Game Rant had the opportunity to interview Abhi, the talented designer and writer behind Venba, to gain insight into how this game redefines the cooking genre. The interview has been edited for conciseness and clarity.

GR: Please start off by introducing yourself. Who are you, and what do you do?

Abhi: I’m Abhi, the designer and writer behind Venba!

Abhi: The concept of Venba draws a significant influence from the South Asian communities I've been a part of while growing up. It specifically focuses on the dynamics between first-generation parents and their assimilated children, highlighting the tangible obstacles they encounter in terms of language and culture. Our aim was to create a game that delves into these relationships and the typical hardships they entail.

GR: Did you always know you wanted to make a game that centers around food and family? How did the project change over time from its original idea?

Abhi: Yes, I find it quite surprising considering how games usually undergo significant changes during development. However, Venba has always centered around cooking, culture, and family right from the start.

GR: It's remarkable that Venba's core concept remained unchanged throughout the entire development process! Were there any aspects of the game that underwent changes over time? Or perhaps, were there any ideas or mechanics that had to be removed during development?

Abhi: Absolutely! While the core idea remained intact, we made significant changes in its execution. Initially, we envisioned small vignettes without dialogue, which is quite different from the final game. At first, we approached the cooking aspect as a simulator, but eventually adopted a more simplified and playful approach to our cooking gameplay.

GR: What led to the decision of making cuisine the focal point of Venba? And how does food contribute to the exploration of themes like family, love, loss, and more?

Abhi: Food holds immense significance in our families, and it can also serve as a language of love. In immigrant households, where there may be literal language barriers between a mother and son, food becomes the primary means of communication. To accurately gauge or demonstrate change, a constant element is required for comparison. In this case, food plays this role, allowing us to narrate the story and showcase the evolution of both the characters' connection to food and their bond with each other.

GR: Could you share your personal connection with food, particularly South Indian cuisine, and how it influences Venba?

Abhi: I have a strong passion for food and cooking. I enjoy watching movies that feature cooking scenes, even if the movie itself is not great. My particular love for South Indian cuisine has helped me recreate authentic recipes and capture those special moments that make cooking exciting. For example, the sound of water sizzling on a hot dosa pan or the perfect appearance of a well-cooked biriyani.

GR: Which cooking sequence in a film is your favorite and why?

Abhi: The most memorable scene for me is from the Tamil film Kaaka Muttai, where the grandmother cleverly surprises her grandchildren by recreating a pizza using dosa. I shared this scene on Twitter a while back!

GR: What sets South Indian cuisine apart from other regional cuisines? And how does this distinction possibly influence the identities of the characters?

Abhi: South Indian cuisine is a cuisine with a rich and deep-rooted history, distinct from other cuisines in India. This uniqueness is evident even within Tamil Nadu, the state where Venba hails from, as it boasts a multitude of regional variations and culinary specialties. Venba takes great pride in this cuisine (and so do I) and she eagerly desires to pass on this culinary legacy to her son, Kavin.

Abhi: In Venba, there are approximately 10 featured dishes. We carefully selected these dishes to encompass various factors. Firstly, each dish and the gameplay mechanics associated with it are chosen to align with the narrative of that specific level. Additionally, we considered if it was historically accurate to include a particular dish based on the time period of the level. As the game spans from the 1980s to the late 2010s, the availability of ingredients for the players would have significantly increased, mirroring the growth of immigrant communities in the region. With this in mind, we aimed to showcase more intricate dishes that required special spices towards the later stages of the game.

GR: Can you explain the recipe restoration mechanic? How does it function and contribute to the overarching story?

Abhi: Our intention was to approach cooking in a unique manner, deviating from the methods commonly employed in cooking games. Considering the game's themes revolve around culture and the significance of preserving it, having a partially legible recipe book that players can only decipher in fragments felt like a meaningful concept to me!

Abhi explains that the main characters in Venba's story are herself, her husband Paavalan, and their son Kavin. Venba and Paavalan relocate to Canada in the 1980s and Kavin is born a few years later. The central conflict revolves around Venba's perspective of Canada as a temporary residence and her desire for Kavin to embrace her cultural background. In contrast, Kavin feels at ease with his Canadian identity but struggles to balance external pressure to assimilate with his family's expectations to preserve his roots.

GR: Venba is releasing day one on Game Pass. What do you hope it brings to the catalog for subscribers?

Abhi: We are excited to provide an opportunity for people to explore Venba, especially those who don't usually play games of this genre.

GR: How has the collaboration with Microsoft to release your game on Game Pass been? How has it benefitted your game?

Abhi: It has been a fantastic experience collaborating with Microsoft. Engaging in indie development can be quite hazardous, but being on Game Pass has greatly mitigated the risk and enabled us to make substantial investments in the game.

GR: How has your community reacted to your current releases? What aspects have captivated people the most?

Abhi expressed his gratitude and overwhelmed feelings towards the positive response received. He believes that even from the brief demo release, people have shown strong investment in the characters and their story, displaying eagerness for more content.

The question posed is regarding the utilization of food as a means to observe the evolution of our relationships. Abhi is asked to share the potential changes that could be witnessed in this context.

It is strange to think that our relationships with delectable food can become strained. However, the significance of food varies for each character as the levels progress. For Kavin, it transitions from being a source of anxiety to becoming a genuine connection. On the other hand, for Venba, the value of food heightens as it becomes one of the few remaining ways to bond with her son.

Q: Do you know of any other cooking games that effectively blend food and culture? Are there any other cooking games you enjoy playing?

Abhi: Definitely! I absolutely loved both Hot Pot for one and A Taste of the Past.

GR: As a lighthearted closing question, if you had to select a South Indian dish that represents your personality, which one would you choose and why?

Abhi: Idli! They’re simple and what you see is what you get!

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Venba will be available July 31 for PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.